The basic form of a waistband is U-shaped. The ends of the legs of the U are folded inside. One method of application is to fold an endless band to the required dimensions or to use two endless bands with rims folded toward the inside laid on top of each other with their folded rims, as well as the rim of the garment inbetween the bands. The bands, or a single folded band, is then sewn together by two seams, one along the upper edge of the waistband and one along the lower edge. In both production methods, the waistband ends protrude over the side edges of the garment part. The seams fastening the waistband to the garment part stop a certain distance before the side edge of the garment part. This permits folding the protruding waistband ends back into the waistband, such that the end of the waistband lays in a line with the side edge of the garment part. After this procedure, the waistband ends are sewn together in any suitable practical manner. A U-shape or L-shape bar tack may be used.
This folding of the ends of the waistband into the waistband is one of the few operations in the production of a skirt or a trouser which has to be performed by hand. This work demands a lot of dexterity and exactness from the operator, because the folded end of the waistband has to be exactly in one line with the side edge of the garment part. Wrinkles in the folded ends of the waistband can lead to local thickenings. For this reason, the folding in handling is not only a time-consuming method, but also very costly and difficult to automatize.